Chapter 38
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Night of Chaos
-----------------------------------------------------------------
At that time, deep inside the secret passage.
The two women were hurrying through pitch-black darkness.
"Ugh…."
Roselia let out a shallow groan.
Dark red blood was seeping out between the fingers clutching her left arm.
It was from a graze by a dagger she hadn't managed to dodge while blasting the assassins who had burst into the room with magic just moments ago.
At Roselia's groan, Leonier, who was walking ahead, spun around in surprise.
"Roselia! Are you okay? The blood…."
Leonier's face twisted into a tearful expression.
"…Sorry, it's all because of me that you got hurt…. If only I'd had a sword, I could've fought alongside you… I'm really sorry."
Even as the sole heir to Baldinmar, the empire's premier martial house.
Facing armed men barehanded—especially men—was no different from suicide.
In the fight just now, she could only watch as Roselia battled.
Moreover, they had been enjoying the party unarmed and defenseless, making fighting impossible.
Was that why? The helplessness from letting her guard down, and the guilt toward her friend who had gotten hurt protecting her, weighed heavily on her.
But Roselia endured the throbbing pain and flashed a bright smile as if it were nothing.
"Oh come on, it's no big deal! A little spit on this and it'll heal right up! It's not like my bone's broken or anything."
"But…."
"Don't worry, I'm really fine. More importantly, we need to hurry. If we dawdle here, we'll really get caught."
At Roselia's spirited voice, Leonier felt her nose tingle.
A complex mix of guilt and gratitude.
She silently gripped Roselia's uninjured hand tightly.
"Right, let's go. Just a bit further."
Leonier took the lead again, guiding them through the labyrinthine secret passage.
Even in the impenetrable darkness, her steps showed no hesitation.
She moved with the familiarity of someone entering her own bedroom.
Watching this after walking for a while, Roselia suddenly tilted her head.
"By the way, Leonier, I've got a question."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"This passage. How do you know it so well? I know panic rooms are common in great noble houses, but they're usually super complex. Without a map or prior experience, you're bound to get lost."
At Roselia's innocent question, Leonier flinched slightly.
She slowed her pace, then spoke with a bitter expression.
"…I've used it before."
"Huh? You've used it… You don't mean…?"
"Back when… I brought the original heroine, Elina, here. I snatched her from the crown prince and protected her in Kaltstein."
Struggling to recall the situation, Leonier continued.
"The crown prince went berserk once and sent assassins. Those guys who came tonight are probably the same ones."
"Assassins sent by the crown prince…?"
"Yeah. You've heard of the Black Wings in the original novel, right? The imperial intelligence unit. And the assassin guild they hired… the one run by the original sub-male lead, Kairak."
"Ah…!"
Kairak.
The ruthless assassin from the original novel who lurked in the shadows, protecting the heroine from afar but shedding no tears for any client.
"You know their skills well, right? Even from the novel's descriptions, they're monsters."
Leonier let out a small sigh as she finished explaining.
"So breaking through Kaltstein's defenses wouldn't be hard for them. Some can even use a unique ability called Shadow Shift… Anyway, that's when I fled through this passage to protect Elina. So I've memorized at least this one route."
"I see…."
Roselia fell solemn.
Leonier's past life, twisting the original to save Elina.
Having endured that desperate struggle, and now facing it again after regression.
The only change was the friend fleeing with her had switched from Elina to Roselia.
"Well… no need to get that solemn about it… Anyway, we're here. This is the safe zone."
Leonier stopped at what looked like a dead-end wall.
But when she pressed a specific brick, a massive stone door slowly opened, revealing a spacious chamber.
They had finally arrived at Kaltstein's panic room.
The two women sighed in relief as they stepped inside.
But that relief was short-lived. An unfamiliar voice from the darkness froze them in place.
"You took longer than expected, Lady Leonier. And Your Highness the Imperial Princess."
"…!"
The panic room, which should have been empty.
Someone was already there, waiting.
Sky-blue eyes gleaming brightly even in the dark.
Though hidden by his hood, a glimpse of light purple bangs peeked out.
"N-No way…?"
Leonier seemed to recognize the mysterious man before her and took a hesitant step back.
"How did you…?"
"I see from your reaction that you've already figured out who I am."
The man removed his mask and hood, bowing slightly.
"Pleased to meet you. I am Kairak, master of the assassin guild."
Leonier was flustered as he revealed his identity with a self-introduction.
The legend of the underworld who ignored most commissions.
His personal visit to this humble shelter meant this wasn't just a simple raid.
But regardless, to avoid losing her life to the dagger in his hand right now, she had to play it smart.
She hid her trembling hands behind her skirt and began acting as calm as possible.
Unlike her efforts, Roselia, watching from behind, sensed something off and quietly began gathering mana.
Slap.
Leonier quickly reached out and blocked Roselia's arm.
[Don't move. You'll die right away.]
"…."
Roselia froze at the desperate gesture and stopped.
Leonier swallowed dryly and slowly opened her mouth.
"Who would've thought the famous Master Kairak himself would… take on this perilous commission to raid Kaltstein."
"Perilous? By reputation alone, even I shouldn't have accepted it lightly. But when I looked into it, it was just a stroll for me."
Kairak smiled leisurely.
"…."
Unlike Roselia, who had only seen him in text.
Leonier, who had experienced the cruelty hidden behind that smile firsthand in her previous life, knew it better than anyone and tensed up even more.
"Could it be… you've decided to become the imperial dog's lapdog? Or are you short on cash?"
It was a provocation.
More precisely, rather than vaguely probing based on his character settings, throwing a straight ball like this offered better odds of survival.
As expected, Kairak's expression didn't change.
If anything, he smirked with interest.
"No. Unfortunately, both wrong, Lady Leonier. I merely… made a deal."
"A deal?"
"If you insist on knowing why, it's only proper to answer."
He shrugged lightly.
But his eyes weren't smiling.
"There's a woman I must save, even at the cost of my life."
"Her…?"
Before Leonier could press further, Kairak cut her off and continued.
"The client proposed: Bring me Lady Leonier's head… and he'll give me an elixir that can revive anyone but the dead."
His voice carried a near-mad obsession.
But that made it even harder to understand.
'…Suddenly an elixir?'
For a moment, she wondered if something had happened to Elina, whom he loved even in death, requiring an elixir.
But just a week before fleeing to Kaltstein, she'd confirmed Elina was working as a maid in the imperial palace.
Of course, enough time had passed since then for something to happen to Elina.
So… he was raiding Kaltstein to save her?
"So I had no choice. If you must curse someone, curse your client for valuing your head so highly."
As if deeming further talk worthless, he readjusted his grip on the dagger.
At that moment, Roselia spotted another opening and moved her lips to chant a spell, drawing Kairak's gaze.
"Your Highness. Don't do anything foolish, or that pretty wrist might fly off. Wouldn't want the duke—who's combing the castle—to find you missing a hand, would you?"
"Ugh…!"
A chilling killing intent enveloped Roselia.
The suffocating pressure made her stagger back.
That was the opening.
Flash!
Kairak's form blurred like a mirage and vanished from sight in an instant.
And the next moment.
"It won't hurt. No brag, but everyone who's died by my hand has passed with a peaceful expression."
With a voice as gentle as a cold blade, Kairak popped up right in front of Leonier.
Shing-!
Simultaneously, the dagger in his hand slashed toward her throat.
A strike impossible to dodge or block, a moment of life or death.
But.
"Did you forget for a moment…."
Leonier stared straight at the dagger inches from her face and struck his wrist with her left hand.
Thud!
The sudden impact made him drop the dagger. As he staggered and reached for another in his bosom,
she closed in and wrapped her fist in aura, slamming it into his solar plexus.
Bam!!
"Gah!!"
The punch from a woman landed with such heavy impact that it didn't seem possible; Kairak clutched his midsection and collapsed to his knees.
Looking down at him with her guard up, Leonier muttered softly.
"The target you chose isn't just some woman named Leonier—it's Leonier Baldinmar, sole heir to the pinnacle martial house. Trying close-quarters combat with her… that's a bit ridiculous."